John Zerafa, Director

John joined VERO in 2006 from the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games where he was Head of Government Relations; he held the same position at the London 2012 Olympic bid where he coordinated all high-level, cross party political communications for the bid. This included supporting and briefing senior politicians [including the Prime Minister and Mayor] and their officials to support the bid’s IOC lobbying activities and media relations strategy.

John has extensive political and campaign consultancy experience. He began his career as a researcher and speech writer for the Rt Hon Sir Edward Heath MP, former British Prime Minister. He then spent the next decade working in political communications, first for a leading lobbying company and then ‘in house’ for broadcaster ITV Digital and Sport England.

Since joining VERO, John has work on many high profile campaigns, including advising Andrew Parsons, Gianni Infantino, Seb Coe and Brian Cookson in their successful elections as International Paralympic Committee, FIFA, IAAF and UCI Presidents – in particular on global media relations. John also advised Paris 2024 on their bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

John was a lead adviser for UK Sport on numerous successful major event bids including the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2015 and World Badminton Championships 2017.

John’s current clients include the Turkey Football Federation in their bid for UEFA EURO 2024 and the Faroe Islands in its campaign for Olympic recognition.

Our enviable track record working at the highest level in the sports industry means VERO’s consultants are often sat at the ‘top table’ with the world’s key decision makers and influencers